insert_link Africa Armed Men Kill 40 in Central Mali Village Attack Unidentified armed men killed approximately 40 people in an attack on the village of Djiguibombo in central Mali, reported Reuters. The assault occurred on Monday in the Mopti region, an area plagued by jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State for over a decade. Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo said the attack was very serious as armed men surrounded the village and shot at people. todayJuly 3, 2024 3
Africa Africa plays big in a list of top global startup ‘ecosystem contenders’ By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Africa has the potential to almost double its representation in a prestigious ranking of the world's top 100 startup hubs as cities from its unranked countries control the list of top contenders to watch out for, according to a global index. Currently, only 13 African countries feature in the Startup Blink’s Startup Ecosystem Report 2024, in a list […] todayJune 17, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Displaced by violent conflict: the world’s most neglected crises are in Africa – six essential reads By Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation The Norwegian Refugee Council recently released a report highlighting the 10 most neglected displacement crises in the world in 2023. Nine of the 10 countries are in Africa – the only non-African country on the list is Honduras in central America. Neglect, according to the council, is characterised by a lack of media coverage, inadequate humanitarian funding and insufficient […] todayJune 10, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Pressure mounts in Mali to nullify military’s political activity suspension Pressure is mounting in Mali on the Supreme Court to nullify the military government's order which seeks to suspend political activities. A group of political parties and civil society organizations have filed an appeal at the top court arguing that the order is repressive. Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports from Accra. todayApril 23, 2024 2
insert_link Africa Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hint at a new west African currency: what it’ll take for it to succeed By Thierno Thioune, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar On 11 February 2024, the head of Niger’s ruling military junta, General Abdourahmane Tiani, spoke of the possible creation of a common currency with Burkina Faso and Mali. “The currency is a first step toward breaking free from the legacy of colonisation,” he said on national TV, referring to the CFA franc inherited from French colonisation. Burkina Faso, […] todayMarch 15, 2024 10
insert_link World Free movement in west Africa: three countries leaving Ecowas could face migration hurdles By Franzisca Zanker, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute; Amanda Bisong, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Leonie Jegen, University of Amsterdam For Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, a recent decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has thrown up questions about how they will navigate regional mobility in future. Ecowas covers a variety of sectors, but migration is a major one. The bloc’s protocols since 1979 […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 5
insert_link Africa China’s demand for Africa’s donkeys is rising. Why it’s time to control the trade Women walk with their donkeys in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Buena Vista Images/GettyImages Lauren Johnston, South African Institute of International Affairs In recent years, there’s been a huge, rising demand for donkey hides in China, where they are used to make an ancient health-related product called ejiao. Ejiao is made from collagen that’s been extracted from donkey hides mixed with herbs and other ingredients to create medicinal and health consumer products. […] todayFebruary 20, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Slums and guns in Bamako: what’s driving the illegal weapon trade in Mali’s capital city By Oluwole Ojewale, Institute for Security Studies As west Africa urbanises, many cities have become interconnected through trade, travel and technology, and crime has increased in complexity and scope. The proliferation of arms in west African cities, especially in the aftermath of conflicts in Libya (2011) and Mali (2012), has added to these challenges in Bamako, Mali’s capital. In 2018, the Small Arms Survey estimated that roughly […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger want to leave Ecowas. A political scientist explains the fallout By Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have sent Ecowas, west Africa’s main political union of 15 countries, a formal notice of their withdrawal from the bloc. The three countries are governed by military rulers who have overthrown democratically elected leaders since 2021. The Conversation Africa’s Godfred Akoto Boafo asked political scientist Olayinka Ajala about the implications of the withdrawal. Why are Mali, Benin […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 3
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.